Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is firing back at NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s repeated calls to arrest the foreign leader, and “war criminal,” upon his arrival in September for the U.N. General Assembly.
On July 21, Mamdani shared a video to social media calling Netanyahu a “war criminal” and calling for his arrest upon touching down in his city. While Mamdani revealed he does not have legal authority to arrest Netanyahu, he urged federal authorities to enforce the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant.
“Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal, the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people. He is responsible for the killing of more than 73,000 people; for the maiming of tens of thousands of children, as those who survive undergo amputation without anesthesia; for the targeting of neonatal hospitals and maternity care centers, denying newborns even the chance to live; for the countless people he starved as he blocked food and humanitarian aid from reaching them; for the gunning down of hundreds of aid workers and journalists. And just last month, the U.N. confirmed that Palestinian children continue to be deliberately targeted and killed by Israeli armed forces — more than eight months after the so-called ceasefire. The list goes on and on, all as we, as Americans, pay for the bombs that do the killing. There is a reason the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest. As human beings, we have seen generations building a shared understanding that there are crimes so grave, they offend all of humanity. Anyone, with their eyes, with their heart, with their conscience, should recognize the devastation he has wrought, and understand that he belongs before a court of law. As I’ve said, I agree with the ICC that Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested and tried for his crimes, as I do for anyone else charged by the ICC. My administration has reviewed every avenue available under applicable law to determine whether New York City could execute the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant if Benjamin Netanyahu came here. It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant. The federal government, however, does, and I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant. And I want to be equally clear: Benjamin Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City, nor is any other war criminal at large. While we cannot end the genocide on our own, we can decide whether our silence will become another weapon. And we can examine every tool we have to defend the humanity and dignity of all people. That is my commitment to you.”
In response to Mamdani’s call for his arrest, Netanyahu slammed the “criminal bogus charges.” On Sunday (July 26), he spoke with Fox News’ ‘Sunday Morning Futures‘ and said:
“The Mayor is basing himself on these criminal bogus charges. That’s what he’s using? And look at what he’s doing? He’s fomenting hate. He’s supposed to be the Mayor of all New Yorkers. Jews, Christians, Muslims, everyone. But he’s trying to turn one group against the other. And he’s forcing hate and fear. I speak to Jewish-Americans in New York and they’re afraid right now. I don’t think it’s accidental that after he made this hate speech against Israel and against me, the next day a Jew is stabbed coming out of a synagogue — I think with a cry of ‘Allah Akbar.’”
On Monday (July 27), Mamdani responded to Netanyahu’s comments about his call for arrest and alleged hate crime. During a press conference, he told reporters:
“I’m not interested in getting into a back-and-forth with Prime Minister Netanyahu. What I will say is that here in New York City, one of my top priorities is keeping Jewish New Yorkers safe, keeping every single New Yorker safe, and we know that while Jewish New Yorkers comprise a minority of all New Yorkers, they comprise the majority of the victims of all hate crimes — and it is unacceptable. And I am thankful that the Asian New Yorker and Jewish New Yorker who were stabbed are in stable condition. I continue to wish them a full and a speedy recovery.”
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On Wednesday (July 29), Netanyahu continued to comment on the ongoing back-and-forth. He ultimately vowed to still come to New York City without fear of being detained. While speaking on Fox News’ ‘Hannity,’ Netanyahu said he’ has no plans to cancel September’s United Nations General Assembly appearance.
“You’ve got this, this lunatic mayor in New York thinking you may get arrested if you go to New York, which will never happen. First of all, I’m going to New York. I’d love to see you there when I go to the U.N. in September. But I’m definitely going there. I’m going to speak the truth in front of this, you know, this hate-spewing elected official who’s pitting one group of New Yorkers against the others; he’s turning them against New York Jews. I mean, what are we, in the 1930s? What is this, you know, so much hate, so many lies.”
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